Mark Mahoney

Mark Mahoney is an American tattoo artist, considered the "founding father" of black and grey art with a single needle.[2]

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Many in the business consider Mahoney a living legend.[2] He currently owns and is the principal artist at the Shamrock Social Club on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood, CA. [3] Mahoney started his work as a tattoo artist in Boston in 1977 (when tattooing there was illegal), where he was in the midst of the 1970s punk scene. He has stayed relevant and influential in the tattoo world ever since. He was a pivotal force during the 1980s black-and-grey movement, and has tattooed some of Hollywood's biggest names.

Mahoney has said he knew what he "wanted to do" with his life when he was fourteen and hanging around with this "little greaser gang" and stepped into Buddy Mott's Tattoo Spot in Newport, Rhode Island.[2] He said he has always been attracted to the idea that tattoos are "art for the people", art for the everyday man or woman.[2] His early inspirations included cars, choppers, and religious artifacts. He is most known for his black and grey work, and more specifically images of religious icons, old school collages, girls, bombs, and guns.

When Mahoney first became interested in tattoo art, it was during a time period "when you had to be an outlaw, or you had to be a real brave soul to get a tattoo." With today's ease of tattoo removal and creams to make the process less painful, some of that appeal is gone, he said.[2]

Many artists have showed appreciation for Mark, one of them being singer and songwriter Lana Del Rey who has worked with the tattoo artist on two of her music videos.